Reviews (page 11 of 14)
i dont like it . very boring
Sorry I literally remember nothing from this album. Neither good or bad.
Not the best album from Cohen.
A little slow for my taste but did have some lovely songs. Suzanne and So Long, Marianne were the highlights. All the rest were nice but a bit boring and repetitive after a bit. Can’t see myself coming back
Big ol trubador vibes. This was the OG folklore. I am envisioning myself on the way to the renn faire
Pretty mundane and nothing really interesting on this album.
no. how can i ever forgot this evil man? who sings about Jesus yet have Aaron’s blood flowing in his veins. maybe he is using new testament stories as a literary device and i don’t have the right to criticise him because i am a gentile, but i really think that it’s not kosher. as everybody knows that shall keep my stance as a cohen hater and i could say this is the most boring album of his that i’ve heard so far. although it is his debut but unlike my formulating reviews of debut albums, it’s not alright. main reasons of complaint are his delivery (as always), the arrangement (what the fuck is with the accordion? or whatever? on sisters of mercy and other instrument that panned slowly from the lest stereo channel to the right stereo channel during the second verse), and of course the annoying and loud ass female backing vocals during so long marianne. and when you add all those things together you got the most sleep-able music in the entire world. like i woke up at literally 6am cause i’m too excited about today’s world cup quarterfinal match in which england (the team i support) faces norway. and after listening to leonard cohen singing 2 hours after the match ended i was lying in my bed and realising that the most rational thing to do next is to sleep. it’s just this sleepy. also my mental state is like when cohen began shouting at the end of one of us cannot be wrong. it’s only 11am but i’ll take a nap anyway. mom said that lunch will be ready in 20 minutes. goodnight everybody. 2/5
I've enjoyed the previous Leonard Cohen albums I've gotten, but this one is just boring. Basic, psychedelic inflected folk music. Feels like an album that rides and dies on it's writing and lyrics, and those aren't aspects I really look for in an album on the first couple listens, so this one is really falling flat for me here.
Like Dylan, Leonard Cohen is not for me.
Lyrics fine but felt tortured listening to
Suicide music but at least this one didn't drag. He still can't sing
We've gotten entries from every other stage of Leonard Cohen's career so I guess it makes sense that his debut would be on here. While I have found a lot of his other albums pretty lackluster I can understand why the debut album of an artist who had a 50 year run would make the list. I find it to be another skippable early folk album but can see why people would enjoy it. There's plenty worse on this list, including from Leonard Cohen himself so I can't complain too much. A couple OK tunes and lot of other filler. When the list is complete I won't be coming back to LH. 1.55 stars
Much better than "You Want It Darker" -- just above the cusp of listenable. Not my favorite but didn't need to abandon this album.
Just kinda there
2.5 ☆ not my cup of tea pero me gustó mucho So Long, Marianne y las background vocals que de repente usaba, También creo que escribe precioso.
Not a leco fan
Listened
Poetic but not my jam
Cohen’s “My divorce just went final” face above pretty much sums up this album perfectly. This is sad, womp-womp music nonstop for 40 minutes. This was my first time listening to Leonard Cohen; I did not get the impression that he is some kind of virtuoso songwriter as I have been told. This record was Dylan-style folk with depressing lyrics and, strangely, lots of religious references. I didn’t care for much of any of it. 2/5
I’m not sure I’m a Leonard Cohen guy. I’m also not a Lou Reed fan, and there are similarities to their styles: lyrically focused; minimalist; esoteric. I appreciated that this earlier work would have fit into the of Vietnam and questioning and Dylan and psychedelia. But outside the context of that period I’m not sure this one holds up as well. My key tracks were the opener Suzanne and The Stranger Song, which was more melodic with the finger-picking guitar. This album, for me, is adequate but I probably won’t remember to come back to it again.
Random thoughts: * I'm not sure if I'll be able to fill out 5 solid reviews for Leonard Cohen albums. Some artists are way over-leveraged in 1001. Leonard maybe just needs 2 max. * Suzanne and So Long, Marianne are the standout on this one. * I will be a broken record on Leonard Cohen: just skip the albums and hit the compilation albums, The Best Of Leonard Cohen and More Best Of. I've owned these ones for a long time. Not sure how I even got introduced to them but I remember a phase post 9/11 where I listened to these a lot. Which sounds about right. * Leonard Cohen is downer music overall and you got to be in the right mood for it. * Anyway, appreciate Leonard but just go to the hits.
Sorry if this is harsh, I would’ve given it 2.5 if possible. But then 3 feels too high. I think its great background noise and peaceful but (controversially?) quite boring. Also a lot of the lyrics that sound like poetry actually mean nothing when u think about them properly. I dont have an example nor will i provide one. Also making the best song on the album the very first one is just a recipe for disaster
Maybe when I am older I will understand...
Mellow album. Super minimal with mostly acoustic guitar and vocals. 2.5/5.0
This went down better than the previous Cohen album I’ve had on this list. It’s nice for what it is, some of the lyrics are good, and it is executed well. Not really for me though.
too sad for me
Æjj, er ég ekki bara leiðinlegur að gefa tvær?
It’s like if Bob Dylan sounded worse …
The lyrics are better read than accompanied by pedestrian guitar.
master song
Sisters of Mercy was really interesting! The rest was a decent audiobook (stole that joke from someone else).
Ist mir ruhig ohne viel Abwechslung.
Albums are all good but similar. Not my thing
Not a fan, great song writer
Lou Reed if he was whimsical and liked folk
Sound of a more well spoken Bob Dylan.
It's not a bad album but he *is* a bad singer
not my cup of tea
i dobt care
A readily identifiable voice, almost hypnotic. Easy going, pleasant, poetic. Excellent lyrics. Very stylistic. Not my style but my rating is my personal preference and not at all a reflection of the quality of the work, especially for its time.
I'm sure it hit different in its time but this just doesn't do much for me.
Warm vocals and chill guitar but most songs are extremely similar in sound and content. Highlights: "The Stranger Song", "So Long, Marianne", "Stories of the Street"
Sounds ok, but this genre is not a thing i can dig
Suzanne — Im not super sure I’d vibe with this 60s album.. Master Song — I feel quite iffy on it Winter Lady — maybr im just sad but this song isnt that bad The Stranger Song — okay I’m not living for the folk nor the religious themes unfortunately Sisters of Mercy — i could’ve sworn that i didn’t check the box for folk and country So Long, Marianne — oh em gee women i like women Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye — Stories of the Street — it was okay Teachers — this one was pretty alright too One of Us Cannot Be Wrong — The yelling hello 😭
songs of love and hate ist ausreichend
I don't know what playlist these songs could possibly be a part of
Schwieriger Fall. Er kann nicht singen und die Kinderchöre sind schlimm. Dann doch lieber das erste Album von Georges Moustaki (1969). Das ist natürlich nicht auf der EN/US Liste. Wird ja auf französisch besungen.
Derivative
Hardly world changing
I think I hear a fog horn: "Boooooooooring!"
Nah
I really thought I would enjoy folk music more than this project is showing me I do. This is so fucking boring.
2.5
Not an album I'd return to in a hurry. Mundane and fairly depressing.
Made me sleepy. I was a tad bored. Leonard isn't for me. I could definitely see this being part of a soundtrack for an indie film, though (the question is: 'would I watch it?' probably once).
The man speaks the words in a very sad voice, accompanied by sad music.
Classic folk, ok
meh
I think his song writing is lost on me. It seems like good poetry but I can't follow it on the first listen so it doesn't do much. I don't like how he goes back and forth between two chords a lot. . . . lazy I like the one man band sound on "Sisters of Mercy" Maybe I'm just not in generous mood, but I think he would have been better as a poet: I don't care for these songs
not bad but wont remember or revisit
The vocals are very Dillonesque, but I prefer Dillon. This was a bit too folksy-treacle for me.
One of my musical idioms is that I'm not a lyrics guy but realize their power. To me, Voice and Lyrics are 2 intruments just like a songs guitar, bass, drums, keys, etc. You don't have to have lyrics & you don't have to understand them. BUT, lyrics have the most power over any other instrument when done correctly. This album is a 0.0 on music, voice, instruments, skill, & originality, but (probably) a 10.0 on lyrics. I'm sure this would be rated differently if I listened to it 10 times, but don't have that in me. You can see his greatness but more as a poet imo.
Indie before indie. Perfect for a soft, rainy morning tho no one song stood out to me 2/5
Not sure what you have to be on to make this something you want to listen to.
Not a fan, I can take a song or two. But I couldn't wait for this to be over. 1.5/2
Well done, Leonard, this one didn’t make me mad! We have the premonition of future awfulness in the backup singers, but as a guy with some songs and a guitar he’s tolerable at this point, if a little dull.
2.5
Nice
I liked so long, Marianne
Temu Bob Dylan
3/18 Boring
- Religious imagery, not necessarily my favorite - Talented singing - Liked ‘So Long, Marianne’
If you had a party and wanted people to leave, throw this in the ole hi-fi!
Of all the Leonard Cohen I’ve had to listen to, this was by far the best. His voice was much better when he was younger. I knew Suzanne. I’m still not a fan though.
I respect the legacy of Mr. Cohen's body of work, and I respect the art form of storytelling. While the musical accompaniment was peaceful and pleasant, the overall experience, to me, was just kinda boring
54 albums in and have had two Leonard Cohen albums already - the last one and now the first. On "You Want it Darker" Cohen's voice sounded weather-worn and life-worn. Here he just sounds like some guy. Sometimes it feels like the music is incidental, like Cohen had the poems and wanted a way to make people actually sit and listen to them. Though there are a few moments to perk up the ears ("So Long, Marianne," for example) they are few and far between. Note: when the album was done Spotify autoplayed Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" and I thought it was still Cohen and was like, "oh I should rethink this." Nope.
Well, there’s more liveliness in his voice on this album isn’t there? I’m not sure I like it. It’s less poetic. This is another one of those albums where it sounds like it could have been performed in a castle by the Kings musician. But the problem would be that the King would be bored with this music and have the kings musician executed.
Muito chato. Parece um história complicadamente entediante
Eh, not my favorite of Leonard Cohen’s.
Don't know what to say, the singing was a bit monotonous
Almost gave this a higher rating out of a sense of, I guess, potential? It feels like something I could get more out of in the right mood. I even tried. Listened to it like I do everything else on the list, headphones on, undivided attention, lights low. I opened a window to let the cold in a little bit and listened to it twice trying to find that thing I missed about it. I don't know, man. I don't love the drone of it, the writing isn't strong enough to make up for a pleasant but weak voice, and it's not got much variety to it. None of those are bad on their own but I felt like I was meeting the album 75% of the way the entire way. Also the song where he's lusting after a Nazi really didn't work for me? but to be fair I'm going to find someone involved with the Velvet Underground annoying even outside of the nazi thing anyway, could have been a three or maybe even a four in the right mood and circumstances but instead it's a two. dude's got four more albums on the list (please stop including so many albums by the same artist) so maybe one of us can redeem ourselves here
deadass ruined the entire album with the last 30 seconds of the last song, one of us cannot be wrong.
Not for me...
Nah
Wow, I had high hopes for this one but really did not care for it. So dull. Vocals and song structures are monotonous, and even the lyrics failed to make much of an impression on me. Listened to: walking the High Line. Favorite tracks: Sisters of Mercy, Stories of the Street
I like a bit of melanin my music and often sit in a dark room or in bed at night wallowing in sadness. Not that I am naturally a depressive type but find some comfort or consolation in such music. So one would think a Leonard Cohen album would do the trick for me but it never as. When I was 17 a friend of mine recommended Cohen to accompany our teenage angst which was all the fashion then. It never grabbed me then and still doesn’t. I soon tire of his monotone voice singing over simple guitar chords. I get the impression that it isn’t the music which is important but his use of words in his lyrics. I don’t shy away from lyrics but never spend endless time analysing them for hidden meanings. I’m from Yorkshire so prefer straight talk. There are one or two of his songs which I do like. Like Suzanne on this album which is a classic covered by many other singers. So I can see why he is held in high esteem but from my point of view I don’t get it. As a footnote my 17 year old friend got himself into a lot of trouble and tragically committed suicide later in life. I also knew a work colleague who never had any luck in relationships who played Leonard Cohen music a lot. She also died very young. Makes me think Leonard Cohen albums should come with a Government health warning. 2/5
I like this album more than You Want It Darker, but I’ve decided that Leonard Cohen is not for me. He sort of sings on this one, which I prefer to the spoken word approach. Musically, I love the pared down, folky acoustic vibe, even though every song sounds the same. I recognize that his lyrics are poetry, but something about them feels so distinctly masculine. I can’t connect lyrically, and I feel no emotional impact, even when I read the lyrics along with the album.
i do not really care for american folky poetry songs but i'll take leonard cohen over bob dylan anytime
no está horrible y maluco pero si bastante aburrido la verdad, ya para la mitad es como too much y ya no quiero escuchar más
Ahhh, I can hear the beginnings of something here.
I've heard enough of Leonard Cohen to say he's one of those musician's you either get or you don't. I don't. I really gave this album a couple good listens. I just can't find any enjoyment in this at all. It's not terrible. It's just not for me. 2
Now I love a singer songwriter. And I love a melancholic song. But for goodness sakes Leonard, lighten up sometimes. My day had already been ruined by the time I got to So Long, Marianne. And blow me if he doesn't dive straight back into his dirge fest after that. 2* for the undoubtedly poetic (if overly gnostic) lyrics.
Took me three attemps to finish. Cohen's album just uses his singing and a guitar, for the most part. Master Song, So Long, and Stories are the better tracks, but for the most part, the music is uninteresting and cannot capture my attention. For that reason, it's hard to listen to it outside. Sometimes Cohen is not even singing, but rather is talking, making this some sort of a spoken word. Perhaps some will enjoy the lyrics, but I am a music fan. Def not going to re-listen it apart from the selected tracks maybe. Not ugly, but sometimes not enjoyable, just two start for this one.
honestly... i'm not a huge fan of people who sound like they're half-singing, half-talking. it's just not my cup of tea. i love the instrumentals, but it's intolerable with that voice (not that i'm gonna judge anyone who likes this album a lot, i can understand!). i think "winter lady" and "teachers" get a pass, though; those are when leonard's voice matches the vibe of the instrumental. now, i'm usually super easy to please music-wise. am i also super picky? yeah! so take my negative reviews with a grain of salt, and don't let anyone's opinion dictate yours.
I try so very hard to like LC…. This is as close as I get. 1. Suzanne 2. Sisters Of Mercy 3. So Long, Marianne
Boring tbh
Not really my type of music. Sounds very boring
нот куайт май темпо(диднт рили листен вилл трай ту ин зе обозримом фьючер)
2 out of 5 Couple of decent songs, rest were too folky for me
Скучно
There are many albums that I haven’t heard in this world and this was one of them. I know who Leonard Cohen is because of Hallelujah. This album I could have gone without hearing it. I liked So Long Mariane. That’s it. 2/5.
Too folksy for me
Respect Leonard Cohen. But not really my vibe.
My Rating 2.0. How can you make this album sound so sad and boring when you have templates already set up for you to transform your poetry into something insightful and catchy???? See Dylan (Freewhelin Bob Dylan) and Simon and Garfunkel ( Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme)
Lyrical, mellow
Not as bad as the other Cohen album inflicted on me but still deeply unpleasant. I don't mind terrible singers but terrible singtalking is not my thing.
Now I’m depressed.
apparently it’s supposed to have been an influential album…it only influenced me to turn it off.
Yeah, not really my cup of tea. But, this dude made Hallelujah! I love the chill vibes.
It sounded more than a storytelling album with some basic music on the side, rather than a musical album. Very monotone, all songs sounded the same, normal, but the same. Nick Cave vibes. Did have some interesting lyrics though - the stories.
It all sounds like the same song all over again. I wouldn't turn this off if it were playing at a chill evening with friends and we're drinking wine, but you wouldn't hear me saying "Hey, we should put on some Leonard Cohen".
Would not buy
Not my cup of tea
Meh
bardzo smutne piosenki
Not for me
Well. I initially thought that the finger style guitar and the lyrics were not so bad either, but I changed my mind after 4 songs. The vocals drone on worse than the instruments. Yet another 60s boring record.
Good but boring
I hate myself for not enjoying this, as I adore folk and singer-songwriter stuff. Furthermore, I love Stan Rogers despite not being Canadian. I always meant to give Cohen a shot, but I was left scratching my head after this. It's fine, but not particularly great. Wasn't impressed by the composition or lyricism or vocals, or much of anything really. I know there's later works from Cohen on this list and I certainly hope I find them more appealing than this.
Boring boring boring.
I'm just not into whatever leonard cohen makes... it's good sure but it's just boring and got bored half way thorugh
4/10 - just super soft lyrically driven songs but no real tune grabs you
Fairly inoffensive but just boring. I liked some songs more than others but I don’t think I’d ever choose this as an album to put on.
A little boring 60s folk, but it’s good enough I guess. Basic two star album.
Es increíble el ambiente que crea una guitarra. Sin embargo no conectó conmigo.
Not feeling it
Decent lyrics. Lazy melodies. Poor singing. Not for me.
Nothing really caught my interest or ire.
Moo-dee
Couldn't get over the awful singing, but I understand this is quite the series of lyrics and inspired many other artists. The guitar is quite nice, and I liked the stripped-down nature of the music, just vocalist and guitar. That makes it feel a little more intimate.
I really wanted to like this, I love this era of folk music but it just feels a little too "same-y" and bleeds together. I'm sure I'll get crucified but it's a 2/5 for me.
I like a lot of his stuff. But this album Was a miss
the only song i like by him is "I'm your man" and its not even on this album.
When Cohen is good he's really great. This album, however, doesn't have so much of that. Sometimes he gets more caught up in the stories than the music, there are many such stories here. It all flew by quite quickly. I know he does better, I hope those albums are here too.
I had never heard any of Leonard Cohen’s work before and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Unfortunately this album didn’t really grab me. I listened to the whole album about 3 times and my biggest positives is that the instrumentation is super impressive, especially the guitar playing. The guitar player on this album is genuinely so talented it’s crazy. But the problem I had with the album the most was just that I don’t really connect with songwriting if the song is super slow and there’s no humor involved. It’s obviously not a bad album, it just did nothing for me and I didn’t end up saving any songs. But again it’s a solid folk album, just not for me.
On se fait chier
Boring zzzzz 2/5
Sorry, am I going mad? 'Suzanne' and 'Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye' are EXACTLY the same tune melody?! I was just thinking about how fucking samey it was and then he started singing a melody I'd already heard!! I just.... can't...
He uses the same melody multiple times. It was only interesting once.
Lullabies for me. Don’t listen when you’re driving.
This is music for people who like watching paint dry
Gear: INAWAKEN Twilight-DS Artwork: 😐📸🔳 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🛐💭🥱 Rating: ✝️🕎(☯️)/5
Dude is boring. 2/5
3. beautiful lyrics
I guess I don’t really love folk music. This was very good from the perspective of a lyricist. But I did not think very much of the song structures.
a few good songs but what is he talking about?
2.0
Just not great, but not absolutely awful
I ended up adding Suzanne to my Liked Songs list. But at this point I have to accept that not really liking Cohen is a me problem. I tried!
Whatever
This isn’t the version of Leonard Cohen I’m looking for. I want it darker, more brooding, the Cohen more steeped in shadow and gravity. This early album just doesn’t hit that mood for me.
it's fine. I found it soothing, but also generic. it just faded into the background.
melancolico pra porra
A little bit boring and dreary - like Dylan on valium. Don't hate it though but maybe just wasn't the right album to fit my mood today.
This dude looks constantly sad in all of his pictures. His music reflects this
Heart sank, was a little better than expected
Song writers should sometimes stay as writers... I like a couple of Cohen tracks but some is so dry and droll its hard work.
I get it. But also unfortunately, pretty dull.
meh 2.5/5
listened to the first few. suzanne is a banger, gonna rate it low js because it’s not great excel music.
It's fine. I've listened to it before, but it was unmemorable for me. I'm not a huge fan of the ambling songs without a chorus or more regular rhythm. It's the Dylan style, where it's just singing and singing and singing, ambling. I just don't care for it. Will likely not come back to it. His voice is just boring.
This feels like the kind of album that is "important". A bit like poetry with some music attached. I've never really been into poetry.
I generally like Leonard Cohen, but beyond Suzanne, this album didn't really do anything for me.
Love his song Hallelujah but I guess not much of his other stuff?
Too slow for my taste. Cohen is superb but this album is just not my cup of tea. Didn’t manage to get through the whole thing.
Only Leonard Cohen song i like is his Hallelujah. This is a mid album. 4/10
Wonderful finger-plucking guitar on this album. But I continue to be underwhelmed by Leonard Cohen. He’s just not for me. There are some thought-provoking lyrics and nice musical moments, but overall it felt monotonous to me. I was bored.
Harmonies of the backup singers. Symbolism in the lyrics are lost on me. Leonard C wasn't played in my growing up house that I recall. Songs are too melancholy for a rainy-ish Sunday morning. Awesome Spanish Guitar? on Teacher. Master: meaning evades this listener; the Reddit discussion gives this song deep religious meaning, so.. OK to that. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): The Stranger. Teacher. ⭐⭐ Didn't like it. Didn't hate it, Didn't understand it.
Leonard Cohen is another one of those artists I’ve heard of, but never actually listened to. Considering how many albums he’s got on the 1001 Albums list though, I do appreciate the Generator dropping me in at the earliest possible point in his discography! Frankly, I had a similar experience with my first Leonard Cohen album as my first Nick Cave album a few weeks back – I can’t really find myself resonating with this style of songwriting, even if it’s not all uncomfortably explicit murder ballads this time. My enjoyment of the LP did pick up toward the end and I found Cohen’s voice much less grating than Cave’s, but still not enough to push Songs of Leonard Cohen higher than two stars for me. A bit scared to dig further into his discography, but hopefully things get better from here! Highlights: Master Song, So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
1. Suzanne - 4 Lyrically this is so random. At times it feels like it's brilliant and at other times it loses you. There's barely any respite between the lyrics as well. It just seems like a constant droning of lyrics that gives you no time to figure out what's exactly going on in the song. 2. Master Song - 5 It's a decent track. Lyrically it's very bang average. The strings and small brass, particularly the brass at the end of the track are small lovely touches. 3. Winter Lady - 6 Another decent track. Much better written than the previous two, but nothing so far has been anything overly phenomenal. 4. The Stranger Song - 5 Lyrically a little bit perplexing. Not a bad song but again, nothing excellent that would warrant another play. 5. Sisters of Mercy - 4 Exactly the same kind of track as the first four. 6. So Long, Marianne - 6 Very enjoyable track. Background vocals add a lot of great sound alongside a brilliantly paced guitar. Lyrically it's also the strongest on the album so far. 7. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye - 5 Decent love song. Nothing remarkable about it but lyrically it's very enjoyable. 8. Stories of the Street - 5 Much better sound on the guitar and good vocals. Lyrics are a bit strange at times. 9. Teachers - 4 The guitar on this is amazing but lyrically and vocally this is unpleasant. 10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 3 Just not an enjoyable track in any aspect. Average Rating: 4.70 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.35 Rounded Down: 2 Stars
I think this one was better than I'm your man, but still not really something I was super moved by.
Easy listening, relaxing, but not my style
I didn’t know so many white guys with guitars sounded so uniquely boring.
shut up ya boring bastard
Just a bummer of an album. Everything quiet and too mellow and gloomy. So Long, Marianne stood out. 2/5.
Ihan mukavan kuulosta hidasta laulantaa ja sopii taustameteliksi, mutta kyllä jo puolessa välissä alkoi hieman kyllästyttää kun jokainen biisi on täysin samallainen ja voidaan Hallelujah lyödä tähän samaan kastiin.. Vois olla kolmonen mut ehkä tän päivän olotila ois vaatinu jotain menevämpää ja lasketaan tällä kertaa alaspäin
Tää on vähän hankala levy kuunnella työn ohessa, kun ei oo oikeen näissä biiseissä mitään muuta kuin tarina, eikä pysty siihen keskittymään samalla.
Vaikutti siltä että vaatisi enemmän keskittymistä kuin mitä projektissa töiden taustalla pystyn antamaan, joten arvostellaan pelkän musiikillisen ensivaikutelman pohjalta, joka oli kenties vähän liiankin "rentoa" kitaran näppäilyä omaan makuun
Boring old man rock. Fine as background music but it doesn't have anything that excites me or speaks to me on an emotional level
This guy seems like a pompous asshole that likes the smell his own farts
This is not my jam, and if it played on the radio, I'd very probably change the station. That being said, it's pretty crazy to just hear a guy's voice and not have it be autotuned to high heaven.
Very clear vocals and good lyrics. Didn't hit me terribly hard though.
I know, I know, I’m supposed to like this guy. He’s one of the greats. All I can say is zzzzzzzz. Go be a poet.
I seem to like the songs of Leonard Cohen more when they're performed by others.
meh
I thought I would like this. I really didn’t.
Boring
Like Bob Dylan… but American. They’re both American! And he’s also not as good. Pretty boring album.
this album was so boring not even gonna lie
He is so boring.
Old songwriter simple songs
Finally done with Leonard Cohen. god gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers
2/5. Из вежливости переслушал.
Old fashion
Nelabai.
2 stars. I know this guy because of Hallelujah
Sooooo slow and sleepy
I found this to be very boring
I don't know what to make of this. He looks he would be crooner like Sinartra bur it's more like beatnik spoken word poetry jam. It reminds me of William Shatner's attempts at singing but Cohen has some talent. His prose throughout is too similar in the vast majority of his songs. So Long, Marianne is the best song in a sense that it's a more melodic song than others. He is songwriting is good but I just see anytime I would listen to this beyond this list. 2 only because it's more interesting than good.
It was ok.
I dont remember this album being so doleful.
Almost hypnotically boring and mumble-y
The whole album is very ominous and sometimes creepy but not usually in a way that I like
Not a fan.
What kind of drugs was this man on?
He sounds like the kinds of guy who believes that he is the smartest guy in the room, is bummed about nearly everything, and has disdain for a lot of people. Even though, that describes me a lot of the time, I found this album boring and depressing. Go figure?
point8.
A dark and mellow atmospheric ride. A bit too much similarity between the songs do cause it to be a bit monotonous (is that a real word?) for a whole album stretch. It has it's time and place, but I'll stick to Dylan for my 60's folky stuff for now. Enjoy the lyrics though. Favorite track: The Stranger Song
2.5
Lyrically, I really enjoyed this. It was eloquent, evoked proper emotions, and was more thoughtful than most of the song writing you find here. You're living the story Cohen is painting as you listen. The acoustic guitar is also soothing. The primary issue is that Cohen's voice is pretty monotone, and the album begins to get boring quickly in every other aspect. It feels so incredibly long despite being only 10 songs.
Alright, some Leonard Cohen! I still think he looks like fuckin Al Pacino! lol I love his voice. It's so smooth and deep. Lot's of story in his songs. Meh, this one wasn't that great. 2 stars
I guess I like the overall morose sound but its very same-same and I don't care to listen to the lyrics
Ooft. Sorry to say, today, some of this felt like doing homework. A bit of a chore
i think on second thought i don’t actually like leonard cohen
Not really for me. I can understand how it is influential to the genre, but every song sounds the same to me. I prefer complex melodies and instrumentation more than lyrics so there was nothing really special on this for me. 2/5
Just a bit boring for my tastes. Also too gentle.
Kind of dull, and not really music, more poems set to very minimal acoustic guitar and a tiny bit of instrumentation.
Ok
Almost feels like it was made train-of-thought. It's certainly easy to listen to but it doesn't connect with me. Maybe if I were driving a lonely road in the fall I might feel different. But the summer months this just doesn't fit.
Was alright but I didn't really have an emotional connection to the music so just sounds a bit slow and sad
mopey
Fierce dreary 🙁
I just can't get into Cohen. Too little.
lento lento
I love Cohen's voice but I would love to hear something accompanying it. To.me this album is like Bob Dylan albums of the same era where after a time the lure of the poetry wears off and everything begins to sound like stream of consciousness nonsense.
not a bad album, but I don't like slow-paced songs.
I was just not into this at all. It was slow poetry set to some low key guitar and occasionally some other instrumental music in the background. The lyrics were ok, I just couldn't get invested in the storytelling. Standouts were "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne" "Teachers" - the guitar is really nice in this one. In the end, it was just kind of boring. There were a couple of ok sounding tracks, but nothing really that captivating musically. This could have been an email. 2/5
bored
Good songwriter and interesting lyrics, really pulls you in. Just really not what I want from music and not for me. I can imagine that if you're really into quality songwriting over sparse instrumentals that you'll love this.
not my vibe but i get it
as much as the other sad girlies love leonard cohen, he's just not for me. one song at a time is my limit.
Leonard Cohen really just wrote two songs and called it a day, didnt he? All the same cadence, some short, some long. No variation in tone. How he became so revered as a songwriter is beyond me
2 stars 60s folk can be repetitive and difficult to get through a full album for me because it’s so one note. I appreciate the craft and songwriting but it can be like sitting through a poetry reading with a guitar. Not my favorite and definitely not something I’d return to on my own.
It may be that I listened to this in the wrong kind of environment. I had it playing in my car while driving back from seeing the orchestra. This meant my partner and I were chatting, and there was motorway engine sounds in the background. Perhaps if my attention was fully on the album, I’d have heard more beauty in it. As it was, it felt like a bunch of songs that all sound very similar to each other. Any of these songs in isolation would have likely been fine, but 42 minutes of it resulted in my lost attention.
Nunca pude comprender a Cohen en su música y sus versos, me parecen tan cursis y aburridisimos con la misma tonada.
Not my thing
Not my vibe. Melodic voice, but it all felt very same-y.
Can't say I was excited to listen to a 4th Leonard Cohen album. At least it seemed like he tried to make music here. I still didn't like it, but it's by far the best of his albums that I listened to.
Every song is boring and slow
Too dergy for me
I needed a lift on this Monday morning. This put me in a drab mood for the duration.
Not bad. Not my thing, but it was fine
Wasn't very impressed.
Music for a generation, just not mine
Some heart felt lyrics, but overall, 🥱🥱
Pleasant enough, not something I would be wanting to listen to again. By then end of the album I was glad there was no more. Off to listen to some Joy Division to cheer myself up after that.
I approached this album with the preconception that i font like Leonard Cohen’s vocals, so was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t immediately grate on me. The man can write emotive lyrics and is his younger years could passably sing these. However, it’s just generally a bit dull. Suzanne and So long Marianne are stand outs in a fairly bland album
I’m not as clinically depressed after it as I thought I would be, oddly.
My mind kept wandering while trying to listen to this. I was feeling a bit guilty about not giving it my full attention until I realised that we're just not a compatible pair. I don't mind Suzanne or So Long, Marianne but I don't particularly enjoy the vocals and a lot of the instrumentation felt quite samey between tracks. The weird ear-to-ear wailing and warbling of One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong was the final nail in the coffin. 2/5
Too slow for me
I liked marianne and can see why people like him, but wasnt for me.
Some great moments on this album. “So Long, Marianne” has some much needed instrumentation other than acoustic guitar. I feel like I get why people think Leonard Cohen is great, but it’s a little bit slow for my tastes. Perhaps if there were more instruments throughout the album it would pick up a bit.
First impressions - I'm 5 tracks in and this needs to get better, quickly. Every single track is identical - that's not always a bad thing, but it is when it's just someone rambling monotonously. I can feel my mood getting darker and darker. Update - I made it all the way through. I'm not sure it actually got any better in the second half, but by then I'd kind of given up on it and was engrossed in other activities so it was really just on in the background. In summary, it was boring as fuck and far removed from what I would consider good.
I understand why people may like it. It's just to slow for me. The story telling, writing and poetry is very creative. And I know there is a beat in there. I'm just not good enough to find it.
snooooooze. But really there's some great songwriting here but I've never understood the near cult-like devotion some have for this guy.
langweilig
Soundtrack to 2002-2008 Monday Happy Hour at any bar in Brooklyn. From the looks of the cover it must have been the soundtrack to a Dustin Hoffman movie too.
The stranger song
I think I didn't hate this Cohen album? Maybe? It wasn't as fart-huffing, I know that much. It's 1:30 am 3 days after I listened. This is my review.
I hate this but I'll give it a 2 because it's at least a slight improvement over the other trash of his I've heard from this list.
Old time folk, it's ... Okay. Chill doesn't really describe it, rather it gets boring to listen to. 2
Mr Cohen has a special voice and style, but still full album of that stuff is too much for me.
Yawwwwwwwn. The music really matches the album artwork. He looks like he just listened to this album. Felt similar to how I experienced Dylan - just pretty simplistic and variations on a theme. Mostly 2 chords with a dragging vocal line. Hadn’t heard the influence on Fionn Regan before, so that was interesting, but when I love music that raises my spirit through surprise and novelty and skill, this did the exact opposite. Like a long, boring conversation with someone you’re trying to get away from. Actually found myself getting angrier as the album went on. Drawlllllll. (2.5)
Now, the second time I've sat through that album. Rich in lyrical content, but musically not a lot to grab onto for me. Notes, melodies, music are always my first draw. Don't think I'll be putting this on a third time.
Not a fan
Not for me
Lots of soft guitar. Gentle singing. Story-telling. Religious feel. Reminds me of Simon & Garfunkel as well as Neil Diamond. Not my style but not bad.
I was surprised how much I liked this album. Not a top tier for me by any stretch, but it was far more-- enjoyable?-- than I thought it would be. Classic and captures very clearly who Leonard Cohen was. It isn't for everyone, and I think a lot of the critiques are valid. But it does capture a moment in time and an important musical influence.
1. zuzanne - 2.5 2. mazter - 2 3. lady - 1.5 4. ztranger - 2 5. mercy - 1.5 6. long - 2.5 7. goodbye - 2 8. ztreet - 2 9. teacherz - 2 10. uurong - 2.5
Great, poignant lyrics over music that just drags.
no hübsch, herzig, schön und beruhigend zum im hintergrund lose bim butze. aber ich merke, dass so singer-songwriter zügs nöd so mis isch, d akkörd sind mer zu predictable und ufd lyrics losi nöd so fest, drum seit mir das amel nöd so vill.
Each song was literally just the same tune repeated over and over again for three to four minutes. I'm not exaggerating at all. Every. Single. Song. Also, his voice was terrible, and he decided that it would be a great idea to not mask that fact by having only a guitar for accompaniment. There were maybe two songs that had more instrumentation, and unsurprisingly, his voice didn't sound as terrible! Leonard Cohen, I don't care how good your writing is if you keep repeating the same tune over and over. If you're good at poetry but bad at musicality, write a poem, not a song. Thank you and goodnight.
it was pretty mid except for teachers
A little too much of the same song the whole time.
Stille, ikke helt min smag
I'm not a massive LC fan. This wasn't really my thing.
Was interesting towards the beginning, but you lost me by being too mumbly...
Never gonna get it! Although this is most paletable
Somewhat depressing.
sleepet
😴
Cohen has a classical voice, and interesting lyrics. It's like what Dylan could have been if he had a decent singing voice. But, Cohen suffers from the same thing as Dylan, long rambling songs that become monotonous after the 8th verse.
it was pretty good - not super my taste
Да блять)
ceonard lohen
Thought this was quite boring tbh
**boring album, very slow , repetitive, and all tracks sound alike
Reminded me a lot of Bob Dylan. It was fine but I'm not going to relisten.
One long play song. Dreary.
I get why Leonard Cohen is highly regarded, but to me, he's like Dylan but more boring.
Started off interested by the stories weaved by Cohen, but then he sounded bored of singing them so I got bored
one of us cannot be bothered to listen closely to this album
It was ok, forgotten most of this already, but I did like So Long, Marianne.
Bob Dylan for wannabe intellectuals
This is fine. I'm not really that into folk other than a few artists like Nick Drake, probably because it usually emphasises lyrics and I've never paid particularly close attention to lyrics (I should probably pay more attention to them). The album felt pretty samey throughout because of that. For example, I'm sure the vocal melodies on Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye are almost directly lifted from earlier in the album I also find some of the swells in Cohen's voice mildly annoying but I can't really explain why, like with Suzanne Vega Not bad, but not that amazing either. 2.5 Highlights: Master Song, So Long Marianne
I went in with fairly high expectations, and I have to say, I didnt really care for it. I think there was a certain sound/style that balladeers went for in the late 60s that doesnt gel with me. It was definitely technically proficient and he has a distinct voice, but I didnt find anything on the album that stuck with me.
This was a tough listen.
I do not like that I'd given SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH a 2. To this day, honestly, I feel kind of bad about that. Y'know, 'coz I was so down on that album right after I'd been so glowing about IF YOU WANT IT DARKER... I understand that this is me overthinking things, and that I don't really think this, and that it's really not that deep, but, like... I'unno. With the way I remember framing those reviews, I feel like I was saying that his music is as good as its proximity to his passing. That just does not feel like a right thing to believe, whether I'm talking about a legend of Canadian music or not. And, y'know, of course that's not the real problem. No matter how I worry that I subconsciously or unintentionally think it is or whatever, I'd never be so callous. No, the real problem is that SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH is 60's/70's singer-songwriter folk. And I **do not** mess with 60's/70's singer-songwriter folk. Like I explained back in my SOLID AIR review, singer-songwriters of this era come across to me to the effect of poets pretending to be musicians. The words are what they put all their effort into, and then also they know how to plonk along on an acoustic guitar or whatever. And for me, no matter how good the words are, poetry is simply not what I come to music for — and acoustic plonking isn't enough melody to keep me entertained. Even if Leonard Cohen was actually, like, **really good** at acoustic plonking, from what I remember. So... Gosh, I put off actually listening to the album for so long. Even that intro I wrote down was part of my procrastination. It's just because I had this worry in the back of my head that I'd end up feeling the same about this album as I did SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH. The last thing I need is another 2 to feel bad about. No matter how much I know it doesn't mean anything... Dang it, that's just the way I am, y'know? And, well... It's slightly better than I'd worried? Or it started that way, anyway. I mean, it's still Cohen picking away at his guitar while he kind of boringly sings his poetry, but there is actually a **tiny** bit more going to hold my attention. It's ultimately not too much, but damn it, "any port in a storm" and all that. The orchestral parts that show up are neat. The strings sound kinda pretty. And the female backing vocals that there are sometimes? Yeah, I'm down for those, too. That's all good stuff. They're just... Not enough for me, honestly. They're almost enough, but they just can't fully mask up that this is music I don't typically enjoy listening to. Doesn't help that "The Stranger Song" doesn't have anything else going on for it besides this endless loop of fingerpicking. Goodness, at least "Teachers" has more than one instrument... In the end, I feel like the most I can give this album is that it kind of manages to surpass my initial assumption. This isn't just "poetry where music happens to be there"; there's clearly a bit more intention going on hre. But all the same, it's still poetry first and first. And I just do not have the attention span to comprehend them on a first listen, nor even the smarts to understand what I do manage to catch. And I feel like, if you're not able to pick up on the lyrics, well... Maybe this music just isn't for you. And it's damn sure not for me. I was hoping to avoid giving Leonard another 2. Like, if my feelings about this album fell out that way, sure, fine; there's nothing I can do about that. But I was just hoping, hoping, **hoping** there would be enough here to at minimum justify bumping it up a point. And there wasn't. Just barely, there was not. So... Yeah. Another 2. Jus'... I'unno. I hope my group doesn't get another singer-songwriter album for a long time.
I understand his lyrics are great. But this is really not my genre and the music is not that enjoyable
Good guitar work and a nice voice. But the lyrics seem pretentious and wordy. Not terribly interesting. It's Bob Dylan, but worse.